BCBGMAXAZRIA + Michigan Avenue Magazine

Last weekend I had the honor of attending BCBGMAXAZRIA's & Michigan Avenue Magazine's exclusive dinner and fashion preview event in downtown Chicago. Lubov Azria, the designer behind BCBGMAXAZRIA brands, including BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway and Hervè Lèger, and wife of Max Azria, hosted the event for Chicago’s 'most influential fashionistas', including socialites, elite clients, and media. We had an amazing evening, from cocktail hour(s), to an intimate dinner, to a unique preview of BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway Pre-Fall collection at the fabulous Floating World Gallery. Here's a recap of the stylish soiree: 

dress: Bqueen, via UsTrendy // heels: Prada 

clutch: BCBGMAXAZRIA // bangles: gifted // bracelets: David Yurman (blue topaz & amethyst & gold buckle), Cartier // rings: David Yurman (blue topaz & stack & pave), Cartier, onyx class ring

earrings: Badgley Mishcka Couture

Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago

cocktails // Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago

Lubov Azria // Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago

Jessa Dress, BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway Pre-Fall 2012, Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago 

BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway Pre-Fall 2012, Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago // PURCHASE HERE

BCBGMAXAZRIA Runway Pre-Fall 2012, Daniel Boczarski Photography at Floating World Gallery, Chicago

attending with (& meeting) two of my favorite Chicago fashion bloggers, Taneisha from Second City Style and Jena from ChiCityFashion

Thanks again to BCBGMAXAZRIA and the team at Michigan Avenue Magazine, everyone had a wonderful time & Lubov is darling!

P.S. - take a look at Refinery29's tour of her closet!

Chanel's Tribeca Film Festival dinner

Most XX-chromosomed human beings cannot help but have an affinity towards Chanel, myself included. Everyone from fashionistas to businesswomen to photographers to writers and artists have long had an admiration and fixation on Coco, creator of the House of Chanel. Her interlocked C's are recognized and ogled over across the world. Annually the designer fashion house hosts a dinner during that little get-together known as the Tribeca Film Festival. Shall we pretend we were there?

{all photos courtesy of style.com}

the publicity stunt themselves, both wearing mistakes.

Best-dressed Leelee Sobieski, in Chanel

Lily Donaldson in Chanel

Peter Brant, Jr., Karlie Kloss looking DIVINE in Calvin Klein Collection, and Harry Brant. 

Liv Tyler in Chanel. {that trench!!!}

Getting better...Jessica Hart, Olympia Scarry, Eugenie Niarchos, and Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis.

Camilla Belle in...Prada? Huh. Looks great though!

Lily Kwong in Chanel

My other best-dressed pick, Heidi Mount, in Chanel

Foxy Naomi Watts, in Chanel, with Liev Schreiber

Alexa Chung, Chanel-ed OUT!

Harley Viera-Newton, in Dolce & Gabbana. 

Swooooooon!

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Cheesy Green Enchiladas

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a Mexican food aficionado. As in, I eat Mexican 3+ times a week. I like to eat out as much as I like to cook it! I made this yummy meal last night and wanted to share! It doesn't take long and certainly makes plenty!


Cheese enchiladas with salsa verde, refried black beans, and guacamole.


I typically NEVER measure when I cook, so sorry I don't have exact measurements...I rarely follow recipes! What I set out below is definitely enough for 2 people, probably with leftovers!


Ingredients:
flour tortillas
1 block of mexican cheese {might be labeled queso dip}
1 bunch of cilantro
red or white onion
1 avocado (per 2 people)
1 roma tomato
teaspoon of minced garlic OR I recommend a guacamole mix packet, like McCormick's
1 lime
black beans {can buy them canned or buy a bag & boil/fry them yourself}
shredded mexican cheese blend
enchilada sauce {I've never made my own. You can buy all kinds, red & green}
++Could use more ingredients depending on your personal taste! This is just how I did this batch.


Prepare:
ENCHILADAS-
Place 2 slices of the Mexican cheese block/Queso cheese block in each tortilla (make as many as you need!). Leave them open. Add diced onions, chopped cilantro...and whatever else you want! Black olives are also yummy. You could throw in sautéed peppers, cooked meat & more. Fold over each side, flip them over and you place them in a pan so they stay put. When all enchiladas are in the dish, add sauce and sprinkle cheese & cilantro on top. Place in oven for 10-15 min at 425. Monitor, when the top is bubbling, they're done!


BEANS-
If you bought a can, scoop 'em out and heat 'em up. If you're using a bag of uncooked beans, boil them according to the directions on the bag. To "refry" them, drain the cooked beans, place in pan with a bit of oil and juice from half a lime. Mash the beans. Flip them over, do the other side. Remove from heat for 10 min. then fry them again. If the beans start getting hard or crusty (eh, sorry), remove them from heat.


GUACAMOLE-
This is my personal top secret guacamole recipe. Not-so-top-secret anymore.
Slice avocado, remove seed & shell. Squeeze in the juice from the other lime half. Start mashing the avocado to your guacamole tastebuds: chunky or creamy. Dice roma tomato & add. Chop onion & add (I usually do about 2 tablespoons). Chop cilantro and add (at least 1 tablespoon, depends on your tastes!). Add packet of guacamole mix spices. Stir all together. Add a teaspoon of salt & pepper to your preference. Best with scoop multigrain chips!




Have any favorite Mexican dish recipes? Send them my way! Let me know if you try this one!